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PRESENTED BYBY JOHN BRESNAHAN, ANNA PALMER AND JAKE SHERMAN THE TOPThe House is gone until May 11. Many senior House Republicans are heading to Key Biscayne, Fla., this weekend for the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual get-together at a swank resort there. Yet practically all the talk in GOP circles right now is centered on whether Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) can hang on as Republican Conference chair. She’s in a cold war, of sorts, with former President Donald Trump and the Trump family. The problem, of course, is most House Republicans see Trump as the leader of the party, and Cheney sees him as an existential threat to the country and her and the GOP. And her relationship with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) continues to deteriorate. To review: Cheney split with McCarthy on the Jan. 6 commission, she left open the possibility Trump should be prosecuted and told us that she would look forward to campaigning on her vote to impeach Trump. This was all in the course of just a few days. Here’s what we can tell you definitively: → Cheney is losing support among senior House Republicans. Remember: McCarthy backed Cheney in her last tussle with the membership, while House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) stayed on the sidelines. → GOP lawmakers have told us having Cheney in leadership is becoming a problem for them back home. This is a dangerous position for any party leader to be in. When rank-and-file members start getting asked difficult questions about a member of their leadership by constituents — in this case, over her continued feud with Trump — that’s a big warning sign. → Republicans are complaining about her ability to run the GOP Conference’s messaging operation when she has been relentlessly promoting a message with which no one agrees. → We wouldn’t be surprised to see a Republican call for another snap vote on her leadership position. Cheney allies, however, are sick of this criticism, and they point out that she just won re-election to her leadership post by a big margin. Furthermore, they say that this entire new round of hand-wringing started when McCarthy went on Fox News Sunday last week and seemed to trip over his answer about his interactions with Trump during the Jan. 6 insurrection. The Wyoming Republican’s backers believe that McCarthy and other GOP lawmakers are uncomfortable with Cheney speaking truths about Trump. Cheney seems to see this fight as being much bigger than staying in the leadership. She sees it as a battle for the soul of the party. And, by the way, don’t expect Cheney this weekend at the NRCC event. She isn’t going. PRESENTED BY CLIMATE POWER Clean energy jobs aren’t only the jobs of the future, they’re the jobs of right now. And they will be in every state across the country if we invest in America. Let’s tackle climate change with the American Jobs Plan by creating millions of good-paying, clean energy jobs. Learn more. BEHIND THE SCENES What the police reform negotiators are thinking about If you were a gambler, you’d have to say that putting money on getting a police reform deal isn’t a horrible bet at this point. (BTW: We looked. No odds available. You’re welcome.) Of course, the prospects of a tricky deal like this shift by the day. Earlier this week, we suggested there was a lot of talk, but no action. Yet in the last 24 hours, we see the prospects of a bipartisan agreement having shifted. This could all fall apart. But the two sides have been talking for long enough that several of the participants have described an unusual level of trust. Here are the positive signs we see: They aren’t leaking much. The leadership in both parties has given their negotiators involved in the discussions wide leeway to reach a deal. The lawmakers in the room are serious. President Joe Biden has given them a deadline, so they have a backstop. Every time they leave the room, the key players say they’re making progress. And yesterday, we found out that they had instructed their staff to begin to narrow the issues. These are all positive signs. The key players here are Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Reps. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Pete Stauber (R-Mich.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.). Stauber and Fitzpatrick are both former law enforcement officers. Durbin is the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the majority whip, while Graham is a senior Republican on that panel. Here are the issues at play, and some handicapping: → Qualified immunity is a key component of the talks. It’s been difficult to find common ground on this doctrine, which protects police officers from legal actions while acting within the scope of their jobs. However, there has been movement on this front. → Section 242 is one of the more difficult components of the negotiation. This issue deals with the use of excessive force during arrests. Scott has raised concerns about weakening this provision too much. → “No knock” warrants will be changed. As will the use of the chokeholds by officers while detaining suspects. → There will likely be new federal money for expanding the use of body cameras. → Negotiators are seeking to change section 1033, which gives surplus military equipment to police departments. → There will be money for mental health programs. → Both sides have expressed interest in creating a “bad cop” list — the accounting of police officers who have gotten in trouble. Talks will continue over the next week. The goal is to have a bill by May 25, but that all can change. WHITE HOUSE VISITOR South Korean President Moon Jae-in will visit the White House on May 21. This is the second foreign leader visit of President Joe Biden’s presidency, the first was Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Put together, the two visits show the Biden administration’s strong focus on Asia. Biden is making his first overseas trip in June. He will attend a G7 conference in the UK before heading to Brussels for NATO and EU summits. IMPEACHMENT BUDS Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) is one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump, and for that, he has drawn several primary challengers. Much like Rep. Liz Cheney, he seems to be doubling down. Newhouse is hosting a fundraiser in Washington State June 4 that will feature California GOP Rep. David Valadao, who also voted to impeach Trump. Here’s an email from Newhouse’s fundraiser.
MOMENTS 10 a.m.: President Joe Biden will receive his intelligence briefing. … VP Kamala Harris will fly to Cincinnati. 10:30 a.m.: First Lady Jill Biden will participate in an Arbor Day tree planting. … Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will be in Raleigh with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to talk about the American Jobs Plan. 11 a.m.: The Covid-19 response team will brief. 11:35 p.m.: Emhoff and Buttigieg will visit a manufacturing laboratory. 12:05 p.m.: The Bidens will leave the White House for Andrews, where they will fly to Philadelphia. Jen Psaki will brief en route to Philly. 12:20 p.m.: Harris will participate in a roundtable about the American Jobs Plan. 2:10 p.m.: Emhoff and Buttigieg will visit a train station. 2:30 p.m.: Biden will speak at 30th Street Station to mark Amtrak’s 50th anniversary. 3:40 p.m.: Biden will leave Philadelphia for Wilmington. 3:50 p.m.: Harris will return to D.C. CLIP FILE NYT → “Florida Republicans Pass Voting Limits in Broad Elections Bill,” by Patricia Mazzei and Nick Corasaniti in Miami → “Pence, in his first speech since leaving office, speaks fondly of Trump,” by Annie Karni → “Palestinian Vote Delayed, Prolonging Split for West Bank and Gaza,” by Patrick Kingsley in Jerusalem WaPo → “FBI warned Giuliani, key Trump ally in Senate of Russian disinformation campaign targeting Biden,” by Ellen Nakashima, Shane Harris and Tom Hamburger: “The FBI warned Rudolph W. Giuliani in late 2019 that he was the target of a Russian influence operation aimed at circulating falsehoods intended to damage President Biden politically ahead of last year’s election, according to people familiar with the matter. “The warning was part of an extensive effort by the bureau to alert members of Congress and at least one conservative media outlet, One America News, that they faced a risk of being used to further Russia’s attempt to influence the election’s outcome, said several current and former U.S. officials. All spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matter remains highly sensitive.” → “Sen. Tim Scott’s comments on race ignite a fiery debate,” by Cleve R. Wootson Jr. and Mike DeBonis → “D.C. attorney general offers to seal records of some arrested during Floyd protests,” by Justin Wm. Moyer WSJ → “Push to Overhaul Military Sexual-Assault Prosecutions Gains Momentum,” by Lindsay Wise and Nancy A. Youssef CNN → "’Most certainly’: Manchin raises concerns about Biden’s push for more expansive government," by Manu Raju AP → “Religious festival stampede in Israel kills 44, hurts dozens,” by Josef Federman in Jerusalem Politico → “Mark Kelly bucks Biden on the border,” by Burgess Everett PRESENTED BY CLIMATE POWER Q: What IS a Clean Energy Job? A: It’s a job that helps deliver renewable energy like wind and solar power to communities across the country. It’s the construction workers retrofitting homes, businesses and schools to save us money. It’s the builders, roofers, painters, engineers and electricians, autoworkers, accountants, administrators, researchers and teachers who are all working to create a cleaner, safer, more just and prosperous America. These aren’t the jobs of the future, they are the jobs of right now and they are and can be in every state across the country if we invest in America through the American Jobs Plan. Enjoying Punchbowl News AM? Subscribe 10 friends with your unique link (below) and get a Punchbowl News hat! Your referral link is: Or share via You currently have: 0 referrals Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up https://punchbowl.news
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